Jack Sargeant calls for clarity over Tata Shotton amid Port Talbot cuts

Jack Sargeant, the Member of the Senedd for Alyn and Deeside, has called for clarity on the future of Tata Steel’s Shotton site following the announcement of significant job losses at the Port Talbot plant.

The news of 3000 potential job losses at Port Talbot has sent shockwaves through the steel industry, raising concerns about the ripple effects on related sites such as Tata Shotton.

Speaking in a Senedd this week Mr Sargeant, highlighted the critical partnership between Port Talbot and Shotton, emphasising the importance of securing the future for the highly skilled workforce at Shotton.

“Last week’s news was a blow to us all,” said the Alyn and Deeside MS.

“In my constituency, at Shotton steelworks, workers are also concerned about what their futures look like.”

His query to the Welsh Government’s Economy Minister Vaughan Gething focused on the supply of green steel for the Shotton site and the broader implications for the Welsh steel industry.

My community lives with the memory of the closure of Shotton steelworks in the 1980s. 6500 jobs lost in a single day.

Deeside stands in solidarity with Port Talbot.

Tory backed plans, as they stand, ignore the opportunity to protect jobs and grow the steel industry in Wales. pic.twitter.com/brTbKDgc0W

— Jack Sargeant MS (@JackSargeantAM) January 26, 2024

Responding to these concerns, Vaughan Gething, acknowledged the significance of the issue.

He emphasised that while immediate impacts on Shotton are not anticipated, the medium and long-term outlook remains uncertain, particularly considering potential changes in steel supply and the introduction of carbon mechanisms in Europe.

Mr Gething explained, “Our challenge is, as you go into the medium and longer term, whether the steel that is currently supplied from Port Talbot is going to be made available on a long-term sustainable basis.”

He stressed the importance of looking at the decision “not just through the lens of what is happening in Port Talbot,” but also in terms of the economic future of all steel-making communities in the UK.

The situation at Shotton is particularly poignant, given the site’s history of job losses and its role in the region’s economic fabric.

The Minister’s reference to the regional secretary of Unite, who previously worked at Shotton, underscores the personal and communal impact of the steel industry in Wales.